Indian Food

This classic sweet and salty mint lassi is very popular in the northern Punjab, where field workers use it to replenish their bodies with both salt and sugar whilst refreshing and cooling themselves with the buttermilk, mint and cumin seeds. Easier to digest than milk and yogurt, buttermilk is considered a light and healthy way to get your dairy, but now most of us just blend yogurt and water together until we have a light frothy lassi.

Put a spin on the classic lassi and turn it into a lassi float – the slight sourness of the lassi has to be a great balance for the ice cream – and they really work together a treat; complex but easy, and much more sophisticated than a soda float.

For an extra dimension, make it into a falooda, a colourful part-drink, part-dessert dish that you eat with a spoon. It is delicious and lighter than many puddings!

Classic sweet and salty mint lassi; serves 1

180g (3⁄4 cup) plain yogurt

120ml (1⁄2 cup) water

2tsp sugar, or to taste

pinch of salt

1⁄3–1⁄2 tsp roast and ground cumin seeds

2 tbsp. shredded mint leaves, or dried mint

crushed or shaved ice, to serve

Blend together the yogurt, water, sugar, salt, cumin and half the mint. Stir in the remaining mint, taste and adjust the sugar and yogurt. Chill, before serving with crushed or shaved ice.

Lassi floats; serves 6

480g (2 cups) chilled plain yogurt

400ml (12⁄3 cup) water

5tsp sugar, or to taste

crushed ice, to serve

6 small scoops of ice cream

Blend together the yogurt, water and sugar until light and frothy. Adjust the sugar to taste; the amount you need depends on how sour the yogurt is. Pour into glasses furnished with some crushed ice. Add small scoops of your chosen ice cream. Leave for 5–10 minutes, then serve.

Falooda; serves 6

Soak 5tbsp of black chia seeds in enough milk to cover them for approximately 20 minutes, or until they plump up. Cook 80g (2¾oz) falooda sev noodles (Indian cornflour noodles available in most Indian food stores), or some thin rice noodles, according to the packet instructions. Mix these together with a little coloured syrup (either grenadine, violet or the more traditional rose syrup). Divide the noodles and syrup between glasses; there should be 1 teaspoon of the syrup per glass. Add the chia seeds on top, pour over your lassi, prepared as per the recipe above.

Hello lovely readers, I am Anjana from At The Corner Of Happy And Harried. I am so glad to be guest blogging at your lovely blog, Agata. Thanks a bunch for the opportunity!

Today I bring you a spicy and delicious recipe from southern India – chicken livers cooked in a spicy masala and finished by pan frying with a dash of black pepper. Don’t be put off by the long ingredient list. The method is pretty simple and you can find all these items at your nearest Indian/Asian store.

This dish is my husband’s absolute guilty indulgence. He can, and usually does, finish it off in one sitting! Have it with a cup of steamed white rice or Indian flat breads like rotis or naan. Provide a fresh green salad on the side and you have a lovely meal!

CHICKEN LIVER PEPPER FRY

You will need:

Chicken livers – 1 lb (450 gm)

Oil – 3 tbsp, preferably coconut oil for flavor and aroma

Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp

Red chili flakes – 1 tsp

Curry leaves – a few

Onion – 1 large, finely chopped

Ginger and garlic paste – 2 tsp

Green chilies – 2, slit lengthwise

Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp

Red chili powder – 1 tsp

Coriander powder – 1 1/2 tsp

Garam masala powder – 1/2 tsp

Black pepper powder – 1/2 – 1 tsp (as per taste)

Salt – to taste

Lemon juice – 1 tsp

How to:

Clean the chicken livers. To clean them properly, combine a teaspoon of turmeric powder in a cup of milk and immerse the livers for at least 15 minutes. Drain the liquid, wash them under cold running water and cut them in to medium-sized pieces. This is the best way to clean the livers and helps to get rid of the slightly bitter taste.

Now add the ginger and garlic paste and green chilies. Saute well till the raw smell is gone. Add all the masala powders and salt. Saute for a minute and add the chicken livers.

Mix well, cover and cook. You may not need to add any water, since a lot of liquid comes from the livers. But keep checking once in a while to see if it needs a sprinkling of water.

Once the livers are almost tender, open the lid and increase the heat so that most of the liquid evaporates. The oil will separate now. Dry roast the livers for a couple of minutes. (You can skip this step if you want a curried dish.)

Check seasoning and add more salt or pepper powder if you want. Add a teaspoon of lemon juice and remove from heat.

Serve hot with steamed white rice and curry or Indian flat breads like chapathis, rotis or naan. Goes well with warm tortillas and a fresh red onion salad too!